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'What are democracies meant to do? And how does one know when one is a democratic state?' These incisive questions and more by leading political scientist, Steven Friedman, underlie this robust enquiry into what democracy means for South Africa post 1994. Democracy and its prospects are often viewed through a lens which reflects the dominant Western understanding. New democracies are compared to idealised notions of the way in which the system is said to operate in the global North. The democracies of Western Europe and North America are understood to be the finished product and all others are assessed by how far they have progressed towards approximating this model. The goal of new democracies, like South Africa and other developing nation-states, is thus to become like the global North. Power in Action persuasively argues against this stereotype. Friedman asserts that democracies can only work when every adult has an equal say in the public decisions that affect them. From this point of view, democracies are not finished products and some nations in the global South may be more democratic than their Northern counterparts. Democracy is achieved not by adopting idealised models derived from other societies - rather, it is the product of collective action by citizens who claim the right to be heard not only through public protest action, but also through the conscious exercise of influence on public and private power holders. Viewing democracy in this way challenges us to develop a deeper understanding of democracy's challenges and in so doing to ensure that more citizens can claim a say over more decisions in society.

Democracy --- Citizenship --- #SBIB:324H71 --- #SBIB:328H41 --- Birthright citizenship --- Citizenship (International law) --- National citizenship --- Nationality (Citizenship) --- Political science --- Public law --- Allegiance --- Civics --- Domicile --- Political rights --- Politieke verandering: modernisatie, democratisering, regional development --- Instellingen en beleid: Afrika: comparatief / diverse landen --- Law and legislation --- South Africa --- Politics and government. --- Social conditions. --- Politics and government

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Has South Africa 'done well' at limiting illness and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic? Academic and political commentator, Steven Friedman, thinks not. While the country's mainstream media believes it has, in his view the evidence tells another story. South Africa has experienced by far the most cases and deaths in Africa - at one point as many as the rest of the continent combined. One Virus, Two Countries: What Covid-19 tells us about South Africa offers a searing analysis of government and expert scientists' responses to the pandemic. Friedman argues that South Africa is two societies in one - a 'First World' which resembles Western Europe and North America, and a 'Third World' which looks much like the rest of Africa or South Asia. The South African state, the media and the scientific community have largely tried to deal with the virus through a 'First World' lens in which much of the country was either invisible or a problem - not a partner. Friedman argues this approach prevented the country from responding in a way which would have protected most citizens. This is why case numbers and deaths are so high: South Africa has done worse than the rest of Africa not despite the fact that it has a 'more developed' health system, but because it does. One Virus, Two Countries is a controversial book that will rouse much needed debate about South Africa's health and economic system in a context of serious inequality.

COVID-19 (Disease)